A broadband phone company provides telephone calling over an internet protocol (IP) connection, usually using broadband internet. The calling provider may be separate from the company that supplies your internet connection. The service is commonly called VoIP, internet phone, or broadband phone service.
What does “broadband phone company” mean?
It is a descriptive consumer phrase, not a universal legal category. In everyday use, it means a company that offers voice calls carried over an IP network using broadband connectivity. The company may provide only the calling service, leaving you to obtain internet access separately, or the arrangement may use an underlying connection to the phone provider’s own IP network.
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The terms VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), internet phone, and broadband phone often describe related services, but their meanings can vary by context. For example, Canada’s CRTC defined the VoIP services covered in a 2005 proceeding by specific characteristics, including use of IP, North American Numbering Plan telephone numbers, and access to or from the public switched telephone network (PSTN). That proceeding-specific definition is not a universal definition of every internet calling product. CRTC Telecom Decision 2005-28
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Instead of carrying voice as traditional telephone-network signals for the entire route, an IP-based service converts voice into data packets and transports them across an IP network. The call can reach another compatible service or, when the service connects to the PSTN, a conventional telephone network. The CRTC’s explanation of VoIP services describes this framework.
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The broadband connection and the phone service are distinct parts of the setup. You might use an internet connection from one company and get calling service from another. Whether a particular service supports ordinary phone numbers and calls to or from conventional telephone networks depends on the service.
What equipment can you use?
The endpoint—the device or software used to place and receive calls—can take several forms:
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- Softphone software: an app or computer program that handles calls over the internet.
- Telephone adapter: a voice box that connects a conventional telephone to an IP-based service.
- IP telephone: a phone designed to connect directly to an IP network.
An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission filing described these options in connection with Engin, including software, voice boxes, and VoIP-enabled telephones configured for that provider’s network. The filing records the company’s description of its service in 2007; it is not a current regulator-wide definition or evidence of the company’s present operations. ACCC public-register filing by MIBroadband Pty Ltd trading as Engin
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What should you check before choosing a service or device?
- Connection requirements: Find out whether the service uses your existing broadband connection or requires a particular underlying connection.
- Calling scope: Check whether it provides telephone numbers and supports calls to and from conventional phone networks, if you need those functions.
- Device compatibility: Confirm with the provider that a specific adapter or IP phone is supported before buying it. Equipment that works with one provider may not work with another.
- Local rules: Regulatory definitions and oversight depend on the jurisdiction and the type of service. For example, North Carolina’s Public Staff explains that oversight can vary with provider classification; its statements concern that jurisdiction, not all markets. North Carolina Public Staff, “Telephone”
Is a broadband phone company the same as an internet provider?
Not necessarily. A broadband phone company provides the calling service; your broadband internet access may come from the same company or from a separate provider. Check the service’s connection requirements to determine which arrangement applies.
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